1920s OPULENCE SETS SCENE FOR ACCLAIMED IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE GREAT GATSBY AT CASTLE HOWARD

A groundbreaking piece of immersive theatre that was created in York before travelling the world and achieving acclaim in the West End is set to return to North Yorkshire in possibly the most appropriate venue possible. The Guild Of Misrule’s The Great Gatsby will be performed over five evenings (11-15 July 2018) in the unique splendour of Castle Howard.

The play, created by York-based Wright based on F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel put the audience into the heart of Jay Gatsby’s world of 1920s opulence, glamour, music and celebration. A simple love story wrapped in the American dream, Castle Howard provides a superb set in which visitors can watch the story unfold around them – following characters around the house, uncovering secrets in intimate moments of live action, and becoming absorbed into Gatsby’s world.

“Whether you are a newcomer to the story, a fan of the novel or loved the 2013 big screen version, this is a unique, no-to-be-missed opportunity to enjoy some of the finest immersive theatre in the country performed in its most remarkable setting yet,” comments Alexander Wright. “Theatrical audiences usually view the performance from the outside, but with The Great Gatsby at Castle Howard, the rooms themselves will become part of the story – this will be such an exciting experience for performers and audience alike.”

Indeed, Castle Howard has a special affinity with the 1920s following its use as the backdrop for two adaptations of Brideshead Revisited, but this is the first time it has hosted an immersive theatre. “When the setting is to become an ‘actor’ within a performance, it is important that the story feels appropriate for the setting, so we are absolutely thrilled to have secured this critically-acclaimed play as a highlight of our summer programme,” comments Nicholas Howard of Castle Howard. “I think it’s going to be a great way to experience one of the most evocative pieces of American literature in a beautiful and very fitting setting.”

Those attending the show are encouraged to embrace the period, with 1920s glamour very much encouraged; dancing shoes, sharp suits, pearls, trilby hats and spats.

Not only does The Great Gatsby put audiences in the heart of Fitzgerald’s exquisite work, it allows them to interact with the characters and their world as narrator Nick Carraway tells the story of his neighbour Jay Gatsby, whose parties at his mansion are as lavish as his past is mysterious. Yet Gatsby cares only for one of his guests, his lost love Daisy Buchanan. Theatre goers will get swept away in this deceptively simple story that becomes a near-perfect work of art, told in hauntingly beautiful prose.

The Great Gatsby is directed by Alexander Wright (artistic director of The Flanagan Collective, who are associate company at York Theatre Royal, and director of The Guild Of Misrule) with choreography by Holly Beasley-Garrigan and sound design by Phil Grainger.

Based on the novel by F Scott Fitzgerald, it is created by Alexander Wright and the Original Company (Holly Beasley-Garrigan, Amie Burns Walker, Hannah Davies, Phil Grainger, Michael Lambourne, Thomas Maller, Oliver Tilney) and produced by Brian Hook. It is presented by The Guild of Misrule with general management by Hartshorn-Hook Productions. A cast of seven exceptional actors will take you on a remarkable journey. The doors and bar open from 7.00pm, with the show starting at 7.30pm. Performances last two hours with an interval. Tickets are priced at between £25 and £40 (no booking fees apply).